Treadle mechanism for operating valves or the like



June 10, 1952 1 F. H. RICHTERKESSING 2,600,325!

TREADLE MECHANISM FOR OPERATING VALVES OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 31, 1949 Inventor 03 FRANK H. RIC/1'7 ER/(ESSl/VG ZMXW (Ittorneg Patented June 10, 1952 TREADLE MECHANISM FOR OPERATING VALVES OR THE LIKE Frank H. Richterkessing, Louisville, Ky.

Original application February 26, 1948, Serial No.

11,221. Divided and this 31, 1949, Serial No. 124,569

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a treadle mechanism for operating a plurality of valves in response to the will of an operator, and more particularly for use in connection with a steam board for finishing or conditioning fabrics as disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 11,221, filed February 26, 1948, for a Steam Finishing Board, of which this application is a division.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a facile mechanism for operating a plurality of valves seriatim.

A further object is to provide a pedestal and supporting column for a spotting board or the like having control pedals mounted in the pedestal, for the various steam, air and water valves arranged so that the several control pedals and their associated mechanisms may embody a number of similar standard parts in their respective constructions.

In this application I show and describe only the preferred embodiment of the invention simply by way of illustration of the practice thereof, as by law required. However, I- recognize that the invention is capable of other embodiments and that the several details thereof may be modified in various ways all without departing from the invention. Accordingly the drawings and descriptions herein are to be considered as merely illustrative and not as exclusive.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3 a View partly in section on line 3--3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the pedestal or base portion in which the mechanism is mounted.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, the reference character I designates a pedestal or base which may be of suitable, preferably cast iron, construction and hollow in order to house the operating mechanisms associated with the various control pedals 2, 3 and 4 respectively mounted thereon. Projecting upwardly from this pedestal I is a standard or column 5 on which is supported a steam finishing board, the rear portion of which is indicated and designated by numeral 6.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seen that duplicate foot pedal cranks 1, 8, 9 are fixed respectively onto the ends of rock shafts 1A, 8A, 9A disposed in parallel relation to each other and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the base for rotary movement in the interior of hollow base I. The other ends of these rock shafts project from application October pedestal l beneath steam chest ID that is mounted on bracket ll, an integral part of column 5. Duplicate cranks 1B, 8B, 9B are fixed respectively to the projecting ends of rock shafts 1A, 8A, 9A, and, as shown in Figure 2. These cranks are operatively connected byconnecting rods 10, 80,

respectively to operating levers l2, [3, of valves 12A, i3A, and of bell crank 14. The latter is in turn operatively connected by chain I5 to operating lever IEB of valve I5A that is mounted on steam chest (not shown) which chest is in turn carried by hollow standard I! that is mounted on the end of finishing board 6, as indicated in Fig. 2.

It will be apparent that each of the pedals may be actuated independently by downward pressure to open the valve to which it is connected bythe elements described above. Each valve is equipped with a spring, indicated but not designated-in the drawing for yieldingly retaining it closed.

Since this invention is directed primarily to a mechanism for operating valves, an explanation of their functions is regarded as superfluous.

In connection with the foot pedals 2, 3 and 4, it will be noted, as indicated above and shown in the drawings, that said pedals are of identical construction, as are the cranks 1, -8, 9, 1B, 8B and 9B while the rock shafts IA, 8A and 9A are all formed of standard stock, differing only as to their length. Each crank and its component foot pedal, respectively, 1-4; 83; 9-4 is an integral-identical unit. Also, it will be noted that the longitudinal axis of the pedal cranks lie at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the base and at the same angle to the axis of the shafts as the latter are disposed in terms of said longitudinal axis. This feature is accomplished by disposing the hub, and the bore thereof, of each said crank on an angle in terms of the axis of the pedal cranks, again, the same angle on which the shafts are disposed in terms of the axis of the base. This principle of construction and disposition of elements provide a multiple treadle mechanism, the units of which can be multiplied readily as to numbers and nested so as to locate many identical foot pedals (also the actuated elements) within a minimum space, thereby facilitating operation with minimum effort.

Such standardization of parts is made possible by virtue of the fact that the several shafts extend parallel to each other and diagonally to the longitudinal axis of the base I, so that the pedals may be attached to corresponding ends thereof at points in relative alignment with the longitudinal axis of the base I, despite the unia ,I: 3 form lengths of the crank arm embodied in the pedal castings.

I claim:

1. In a steam finishing board, an elongated hollow supporting base, a plurality of rock shafts journalled in bearings disposed on the axis of said base, each said shaft projecting through hearings in the wall of said base with one end disposed exteriorly thereof and the other end disposed interiorly thereof, said shafts extending parallel to each other and diagonally relative to the longitudinal axis of said basefthe ends of said respective shafts being disposed in relative alignment parallel to said axis; cranks of uniform structure secured to said respective ends, the free ends of said projecting exteriorly of said base, and foot pedals carried by said respective cranks, in combination with cranks fixed to the said exterior ends of said respective shafts in relatively longitudinally stepped relation.

2. In a treadle mechanism, an elongated base, a plurality of rock shafts'rrlounted at one end thereof in a plurality of bearings disposed uniforrnly at the axis of said base and at the other end in a plurality of bearings for rotary movernent, said shafts extending parallel to each other and diagonally relative to the longitudinal axis of said base, integral cranks and foot pedals of uniform structure secured to said respective shafts at points in relative longitudinal align.- rnent whereby the free ends; of said cranks and their foot pedals also will be in relative longitudi-nal alignment.

3. In a treadle mechanism, an elongated base, a plurality of rock shafts mounted at one end thereof in a plurality of bearings disposed uniforrnly at the axis of said base and at the other end in a plurality of bearings integral with said base for rotary movement, said shafts extending parallel to each other and diagonally relative to the longitudinal axis of said base, integral cranks and foot pedals of uniform structure secured in angular relation to said respective shafts at points in relative longitudinal alignment whereby the ir n s o aid nks a d h ir f a Pedals also will be in relative longitudinal alignment.

4. A treadle mechanism for operating a steam finishing board having an elongated hollow base, which comprises a plurality of spaced apart bearings rngn nted centrally inside and in a line parallel with the axis of said elongated base, a corresponding number of bearings integral with and at one of the ends of said base, rock shafts mounted for rotation in said bearings, said shafts being parallel, spaced equal distances apart and runningdiagorially to the axis of the base in a horizontal plane, crank shafts mounted on the ends of said rock shafts adjacent said integral hearin s and inte a crank .shaiis and ,foot m dals mount d on the inn ha of said, s shafts. and, a an l to and mat sha t wit th eda outsi e aid base and e int al sran ha erpend cular to the a s of th ass-m nses The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES arsN s 

